Google avoided a $2 billion penalty over alleged privacy violations involving data collection. A U.S. federal judge rejected consumers’ request for additional financial penalties. The decision occurred on January 30, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Chief Judge Richard Seeborg denied the motion for $2.36 billion and the injunction against Google’s ad-related data practices.
Case Background
The lawsuit began in 2020. Smartphone users claimed Google collected app activity data after a privacy setting was turned off. In September 2025, a jury found Google liable and awarded approximately $425 million in damages. Plaintiffs initially sought $31 billion. The jury issued a non-binding advisory statement suggesting disgorgement of profits was unnecessary.
Judge’s Ruling
The judge rejected the injunction and profit-stripping request. Plaintiffs did not show irreparable harm justifying permanent restrictions. Evidence linking Google’s profits to the alleged violations was insufficient. Google argued restrictions could affect developers relying on its analytics services. The judge acknowledged this concern.
Remaining Case Status
The class action continues. Google’s motion to decertify the class covering about 98 million users and 174 million devices was denied. Google denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal the September verdict.
Context
This case represents one of several privacy and data lawsuits against major tech companies. Another Google case resulted in a $68 million settlement for privacy violations in its voice-activated assistant service.
